Prehensile-Tailed Porcupines Face Layoffs at New York State Budget Cuts Hit Home (Video)

If you don't live in New York State you may be unaware that the state is facing some pretty severe budge shortfalls; and Governor David Patterson has proposed immediately cutting zoo, aquarium and botanical garden funding by 55%, with funding eliminated entirely in 2010. Ouch. As a result, at least according to this fictionalized account of the situation, the prehensile-tailed porcupine, may be among the first animals to get pink slips.More seriously, Governor Patterson's proposal will affect 75 institutions across the state, including the iconic Bronx Zoo. According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium alone created about $290 million in economic activity last year. WCS has created an online petition to help preserve state funding these "living museums".